Recessed luminaires and lighting fixtures for installation in wood construction typically include bar hangers that are coupled to the luminaire and including mounting ends for attachment to adjacent ceiling joists. Bar hangers commonly include a barbed or hooked nailer that is integrally formed from the bar hanger material blank. The bar hanger head is placed against the joist and a hammer is used to drive the nailer into the wood to fix the bar hanger to the joist. Once the nailer is driven into the joists, the wood and the nailer are permanently deformed and are not easily removed. This limits the ability to adjust the position of the bar hanger and luminaire once attached to the ceiling joist. Generally, a secondary fastener such as a nail or screw is added by the installer to ensure that the bar hanger is securely mounted to the ceiling joist.
Various support devices have been developed to support luminaires and other lighting fixtures in ceilings. The support devices can be a conventional bar hanger for attaching to ceiling joists or for attachment to a T-bar support rail for suspended ceilings. The bar hangers generally include a two-piece assembly having a pair of rails that are slidably connected together. The rails can be extended or retracted to fit between adjacent ceiling joists. One example of a bar hanger support for a recessed lighting fixture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,419 to Gabrius. In this device, the end portion of the bar hanger is provided with a bridge supporting a nail for attaching the bar hanger to the ceiling joist. A similar device is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,800 to Chan et al.
Other lighting fixtures and lighting supports are able to attach to ceiling joists or to a T-bar of a suspended ceiling. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,574 to Hentz et al. discloses a lighting assembly having adjustable nailing plates at each end. A recess is formed in the edge of the frame to mount to a T-bar support. A similar device is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,011 to Sieczkowski.
While the above-noted bar hanger supports are generally suitable for their intended use, there is a continuing need for improved support members.